Gone
by WingedJewel
Summary: Takes place after JP's book "FANG" Tells the story of Maximum Ride, her lost love, and the journey she must face alone.
1. Disclaimer

**Hey guys! WingedJewel here, and I just wanted to let you know about the new story I'm starting. **

**How many of you have read the Maximum Ride Series' latest book, "FANG"? I just read it. **

**So now, I have decided to write a story, taking up where the book left off. **

**If you haven't read the book yet, then seriously, **_**don't**__**read this fan-fic. **_**It has some major spoilers in it.**

**Anyway, if you have read the book, then read on, my friends!**

**Just keep reading, just keep reading, just keep reading…**

**Also, Maximum Ride belongs to author James Patterson, and not me, although I think we both know how I'd love to be the genius behind the books.**

**:D**


	2. Chapter 1

_Dear Max, _

_ You looked beautiful today. I'm going to remember what you looked like forever. And I hope you remember me the same way- clean, ha-ha. I'm glad our last time together was happy. But I'm leaving tonight, leaving the flock, and this time it's for good. I don't know if I'll ever see any of you again. The thing is, Max, that everyone is a little bit right. Added up all together, it makes this one big right. Dylan's a little bit right about how my being here might be putting the rest of you in danger. The threat might have been just about Dr. Hans, but we don't know that for sure. Angel is a little bit right about how splitting up the flock will help all of us survive. And the rest of the flock is a little bit right about how when you and I are together, we're focused on each other- we can't help it._

_ The thing is, Maximum, I love you. I can't help but be focused on you when we're together. If you're in the room, I want to be next to you. If you're gone, I think about you. You're who I want to talk to. In a fight, I want you at my back. When we're together, the sun is shining. When we're apart, everything is in shades of grey. I hope you'll forgive me someday for turning out worlds into shades of grey - at least for a while. _

_ You're not your best when you're focused on me. I mean, you're at your best Maxness, but not your best leaderness. I mostly need Maxness. The flock mostly needs leaderness. And Angel, if you're listening to this, it ain't you, sweetie. Not yet. At least for a couple more years, the flock needs a leader to survive, no matter how capable everyone thinks he or she is. The truth is that they do need a leader, and the truth is that you are the best leader. It's one of the things I love about you. But the more I thought about it, the more sure I got that this is the right thing to do. Maybe not for you, or for me, but for all us together, our flock._

_ Please don't try to find me. This is the hardest thing I've ever done in my life, besides wearing that suit today, and seeing you again will only make it harder. You'd ask me to come back, and I would, because I can't say no to you. But all the problems would still be there, and I'd end up leaving again, and then we'd have to go through this all over again._

_Please make us only go through this once._

_ I love you. I love your smile, your snarl, your grin, your face when you're sleeping. I love you hair streaming out behind you when we fly, with the sunlight making it shine, if it doesn't have too much mud or blood in it. I love seeing your wings spreading out, white and brown and tan and speckled, and the tiny, downy feathers right at the top of your shoulders. I love your eyes, whether they're cold or calculating or suspicious or laughing or warm, like when you look at me._

_ You're the best warrior I know, the best leader. You're the most comforting mom we've ever had. You're the biggest goofball, the worst driver, and a truly lousy cook. You've kept us safe and provided for us, in good times and in bad. You're my best friend, my first and only love, and the most beautiful girl I've seen, with wings or without._

_ Tell you what, sweetie: If in twenty years we haven't expired yet, and the world is still more or less in one piece, I'll meet you at the top of that cliff where we first met the hawks and learned to fly with them. You know the one. Twenty years from today, if I'm alive, I'll be there, waiting for you. You can bet on it._

_Good-bye, my love._

_Fang._

_P.S. Tell everyone I sure will miss them._

We were all silent. The letter was wet with my tears, making some of the words run. Fang was usually, well, _reserved _is a nice word for it. But this letter had poured out a lifetime's worth of love. I felt numb, like someone had just whapped my head hard.

"I can't believe it," said Gazzy.

"That butthead," said Iggy.

"This is all my fault," said Angel, her shoulders hunching with sobs.

"No," I told her. "You've done a lot of asinine things, but this is not your fault."

I felt very old and very tired. Total and Akila's wedding seemed as if it had happened a year ago. Nudge put her head on my shoulder. I set the letter down and put my arms around her. Tears were dripping onto my dress, but I wasn't making any sound. There was no sound that could express this kind of pain. I didn't want to move, didn't want to do anything.

Fang was not waiting for me out in the living room.

Tomorrow morning, when I woke up, Fang would still be gone.


	3. Chapter 2

.

..

…

….

..

.

I really hate Fang right now. Dylan is my "perfect other half" yada-yada-yada. Well you know what? I don't care!! All I want is Fang, and he's gone, so either (a) he has to come back, (b) I have to go track his butt down, or (c) someone (cough cough _FANG_) is going to get the butt-kicking of his life.

Someone is going to pay.

And it ain't going to be me.

It's going to be that stupid deserting crap-bag ex-boyfriend, ex-best friend with the most perfect stupid hair.

Yeah.

He's going to be beaten up.

By me.

Maximum Ride.

_Dunn…_

_Dunn…_

_Dunnn….._


	4. Chapter 3

Showers are a wonderful thing. They have many uses. You could pile toilet paper in them until they're full, like I saw on this one episode of Hoarders. They are a great place to hide the body. Or, of course, you could go by more conventional means and simply use them to take a shower. Now the act of showering is wonderful. You let the hot water – almost too hot, actually – run down your body and just let it melt away all your fears and worries and death threats. You feathers are drenched; well, at least for me they are, and you can shake out your wings like you're in a fancy shampoo commercial. You breathe in the steamy air – because of course, you've forgotten to turn on the fan, _again – _and the world just seems like a better place. When you step out of the shower, you are met with cold air, which in turn causes you to quickly envelope yourself within a fluffy towel. Trust me, if I could shower all day long, and only step out to eat chocolate chip cookies, I'd have it made.

Sadly, if I showered all day long I would turn into a giant prune. I guess it wouldn't be too bad, but no doubt Fang would make fun of me for it. Well, that is, if he were _here._ It's weird, how I feel. You'd think that I'd be so heartbroken that I'd just assume the fetal position and rock back and forth like a schizophrenic. I thought I would too. But I've begun to realize that Fang _truly did _think that this was the best thing to do. But I don't think he remembered the fact that he was leaving me with super-model Dylan. He probably would've thought twice about that one, eh? Yes, Dylan is, I'll admit, _mucho hot-o, _and he's one of the Flock now. So we're back to the original number of bird-kids- Me, Iggy, Nudge, Gazzy, Angel, and now Dylan. Since Fang has withdrawn himself from the oh-so prized membership club, he is no longer protected from beatings and torturing from yours truly, _moi. _

Walking into the kitchen, I find Iggy flipping some pancakes effortlessly like Martha Stewart. "Morning Ig," I call.

"Hey, Max," he says, looking up in my general direction. "I can't remember- does Gazzy like chocolate chip pancakes, or is that, uhm, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?" Ah, good old Iggy. He may be blind, but I'd bet any day that he's smarter than the whole rest of the Flock put together. He gave Fang the name "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named," seeing as how hearing his name might possibly cause me to rip someone's throat out.

Laughing, I replied, "Nah, that's Angel, Ig. She _loves _chocolate chip pancakes." Nodding, he resumed his work on breakfast. I went to wake up the others. Nudge was, of course, entrapped in her blankets, as usual. That girl is crazy! I gently nudged her shoulder – get it, I _nudged – _oh, nevermind. She grumbled loudly. "Nudge, honey, it's time to wake up," I whispered. "Mmmrp," she replied. Shaking more aggressively, I reply, "Nudge… Iggy made chocolate chip paaaaannnnnnccaakess……" Emphasis on the word _pancakes._ Nudge is a pancake fiend. I swear, she'd have it made if she could eat pancakes all say.

I was sure that the temptation of pancakes would get her up and about, so I headed to Gazzy's room, only to see that he was already up. "Morning Max," he said. I looked at him quizzically. "What are you doing in there, Gaz? Making a bomb?" He shook his head quickly. "Uh, what would make you think that..?" I smiled and went on to Angel's room. Surprisingly, she was already up as well. Making her bed, she hummed quietly to herself.

Moving on, I went to see if Dylan was up. He wasn't. Why, oh why couldn't he have been up? I really dislike waking him up. It's just – weird. "Dylan..?" I called. "It's time to get up…" His arm twitched in reply. "Dylan. Get up." I shook his shoulder. "Dylan. _Get. Up._" One thing you don't know about Dylan is that he's a ton of bricks when he's sleeping. I took the pillow out from under his head and smacked him with it. "Get up!"

Well, that should do the trick.

Reentering the kitchen, to my surprise, I find no one there. "Iggy…?" Scuffle marks coming from my left. I crouch down, going into ninja bird kid attack mode. Silently walking to the front door, I peer out the window. There's a car in the driveway. We don't own a car.

Something brushed against my arm. I spun around just as a strong hand clamped firmly over my mouth.


	5. Chapter 4

I squirmed and kicked out at my attacker. No one, I repeat, _no one_, was going to 'nap me this time. I refuse to be taken again. "Be very quiet, Max," said the person who was holding me. I stood still. He released me and I spun around to hatefully whisper, "Dylan, WTH?" He grabbed my arm and pulled me into the nearest room, the bathroom. I scowled at him. "What is going on?" He looked around before replying. "I'm afraid that the Flock has a new enemy, Max."

"And just who would that be?" I was really pissed now, considering he had grabbed me and then was being all secretive. Ugh, if only he wasn't so super-model-y. Rolling my eyes, I continued: "If you don't tell me, I'm going out there and kicking some serious butt, including yours." He sighed.

"You remember when you were kidnapped, and there was a second Max put in your place?" I nodded. "Well, she's back."

"No."

"Yes, she is."

"No. You're delusional."

"Max," he said, stepping closer to me, "You've gotta believe me."

"No, actually, I don't, Dylan!"

"Max!"

"What??" Ooh, we're to the rage stage now. He just… gets me… sooo… mad!

"Please. She's back, and you're her target."

"How do I know you're telling the truth?"

"Just- ugh!" Ha, I made him mad.

"Okay, that's it." I shoved him out of the way and stormed out the door…

…smack into, uh, well, I hate to admit it, but Max II.


	6. Chapter 5

"Hello, Maximum," Max II snarled.

"Hey buddy," I replied. "What brings you to this little neighborhood?"

She snickered. "Nothing much. Just wanted to let you know that I'm back, and I'm here to kill you."

"Awh, such warm and pleasant thoughts." Man, she really looked just like me. Who would even try to duplicate someone? Well, apparently mad evil scientists who have no life.

Growling, she lunged at me, managing to scratch my arm. Too bad for her I had been practicing the fine art of Max-Kwon-Do. I threw her off me and twisted her arms behind her back. "Had enough?" She shot me daggers and said "Never." I shrugged and pinned her down. She couldn't do anything as I sat on top of her. Finally she just gave up trying. That, of course, was when Dylan had to ruin things. He emerged from the bathroom, shocked to find not one, but two Maxes.

"Woah."

Max II, with a sudden burst of energy, wrestled me off and started beating the crap out of me. She punched my nose viciously and I felt it crack with a sharp pain. I should've expected it. No Max, real or cloned, will give up for long. I kicked at her and wildly tried to get in a good punch. Ah, resorting to hair pulling, which actually helped a bit, believe it or not, I was able to get her to stop re-breaking my nose. "Dylan!" I yelled. "Stop standing there and help me!" He lunged toward me, obviously thinking I was Max II. I shoved him away and said "The _other _Max, idiot!" At that moment, Max II let out a high, sharp whistle, which is never good. Usually it's a signal for reinforcements to come on in.

Within like, 3 seconds, hoards of Erasers poured through the windows. These guys never give up! I guess the School had been reproducing them, but luckily they weren't the kind with wings. I fought ferociously and I think I was starting to get somewhere when an Eraser clenched his teeth on my arm. Crying out, I tried to swing him off, but another Eraser grabbed me shoulders. So on and so forth, I was pinned down on the floor, Dylan nowhere to be seen. Max II stood over me triumphantly. I watched in horrified slow motion as her heavy duty boot, aimed with precision, caught me square in the jaw. My head snapped to the side, and I blacked out.


	7. Chapter 6

I was in a meadow, surrounded by fireflies. The sky was a deep purple and the lights buzzing around me made me somewhat happy. I was wearing Fang's leather jacket, the old one that smelled like soap and gingerbread cookies. My wings, shimmering in the moonlight, were behind me, spread gloriously. My feathers were ruffled by the cooling breeze that wound its way through the trees. My hair fell freely down my shoulders. I smiled as I breathed in the smell of Fang, the smell that I had gone without for so long.

The fireflies dispersed quickly, leaving me wondering why. I saw a big object, definitely not a firefly, racing toward me from above. I stepped back, a bit frightened, until it clicked. The object had wings. Big, strong, glossy black wings, attached to a tall, muscled body. Two feet lightly found purchase on the grass a few feet away from me. I drew in my breath, not believing what my eyes were telling me. My eyes went wide with astonishment. I shivered and leapt toward the figure.

It was Fang. My Fang, _Fang, _and he had come back! He leapt toward me and we crashed into each other, arms flailing crazily around each other's bodies. He hugged me tighter than he ever had, nearly squeezing the life out of me. When he released me, I pulled him back sharply. We fell, him onto me, into the grass, crushing my wings, which caused a faint pain. I didn't care. We rolled over and as I laid on top of him, looking into his deep, ebony eyes, I felt giddy. I laced my fingers in with his and gently laid my head on his chest. I listened to his heart beating.

I'd never admitted it before, but I had always been worried. Since the second I knew he was gone, I was worried that he was dead, or seriously hurt, lying in a ditch somewhere, or worse, lying at the School. And I would never know, because I wasn't there to protect him. He wasn't there to protect me. He moved his hand away from mine and softly placed my hair behind my ear. I smiled weakly. He lifted his head slightly and I leaned in to kiss him. My lips met his with sudden fierceness. His hands ran through my hair and I traced his jaw lightly. My heart beat violently.

As we kissed, I felt like I was in Heaven. Fang had finally come back for me. He stopped playing with my hair, and I opened my eyes. I gasped in shock. Fang- he wasn't Fang anymore. I had been kissing Dylan. Dylan smiled and quickly kissed me again. I struggled to pull away but he held me strongly in his arms. I cried out, tears starting to trickle, "Let go!" I stared at him, shocked, and he turned into Max II. Max II snarled and lashed out at me. My heart now in pieces, I felt like mush. I collapsed to the chilling comfort of the ground, succumbing to her kicks. My heart ached. I sur-

* * *

Gasping, I sat up quickly. My arms and legs were tied to the metal bed I was laying on. I glanced around the room. It was only me. The walls were a soft yellow, originally white but had given way to age. The floors, scuffed up linoleum. The lights, fluorescent. The dream came rushing back to me, leaving me crushed and gasping for air. To dream about Fang, and then have him taken away from me… it was just too much.

I felt sorry for myself. Here I was, alone, Maximum Ride, having no idea if anyone in my Flock was safe, and I was focused on Fang. He wasn't there anymore. Breathing in slowly, I shoved the anguish aside, and set my goal. I was going to find the Flock, find an escape route, and get the hell out of wherever I was this time. It seemed like nowhere was a truly safe place. So I set my long term goal to find a safe house. Okay, enough goals.

I pushed Fang from my mind, trying to forget him. He made me feel empty- and that was not what I needed to fell at this exact moment in time. I blocked him from my mind and took a couple deep breaths. "Okay," I whispered to myself. "Here goes nothin'."

Crap, now I just had to free myself from the stupid metal bed. "Ugh." Man, why are plastic ties so freakin' hard to undo??


	8. Chapter 7

20 minutes later, I'm still attached to the metal table. I may be like, awesome at fighting, but have you ever tried to get out of plastic ties? No, I didn't think so. So let me recap, if you've forgotten:

1. I'm stuck somewhere, attached to a metal table with plastic ties.

2. I have no idea where my Flock is.

3. I have no idea where _I _am.

4. Fang left.

5. I'm hungry.

So now that we're all on the same page here- where am I?! There's no windows, only 1 door, which kind of limits my escape plans, and I might as well throw in _no people. _I mean, c'mon, usually I'm to the torture chapter of How-To-Kidnap-A-Bird-Kid by now. Maybe even the telling of the evil plan, like creating a huge genocide or stealing all the world's donkeys. I don't know. _Something._ But nope! No one here but me.

Pulling at the ties, I start to get frustrated. _When I get out of here, _I thought, _someone is going to pay, big time. _Now I've figured out that the table has wheels. So I'm using my weight to my advantage, aiming for the door. My arms are tied together in front of me, and my feet on a bar on the table. Nothing's really sharp…… but, wait, the Voice actually remembered something useful for once.

_You have a pocket knife in your left shoe, Maximum, _it said nonchalantly.

_Wow, Voice, you decided to wait until now to tell me?_

_I reasoned you would have been smart enough to have been free by now._

_Touché, Voice, touché. _Why did it always have to be the smart one in our symbiotic relationship?

Anyway, I managed to get the pocket knife out of my shoe, but I lost a shoe in the process. Actually flipping it open was a minor challenge. Sawing away at the tie bonding my hands together, I hear something outside the door. This caused me to saw harder. The tie broke and I went to work on the tie for my feet. Pretty soon, I was free from the ties, and from the icky metal table. Jumping down, I headed to a corner. Corners provide some sense of security for me. I know the two of my sides are protected by a thick, insulated slab of wood and paint, commonly known as a wall. I only have to worry about the two sides left open, which is easy, because I'm facing them.

So after a couple minutes of anticipation, the door swung open creepily like you'd see in a horror flick. _Creeeeeeeak…… _A white-shoed foot stepped into view. Moving up, the person is dressed in white slacks, a white scientist's coat, and goggles, which are placed neatly on her head. Typical evil-scientist-garb. She looked briefly around the room before settling her brown eyes on me.

"Hello Max," she called cheerily. "I expected you would get out of those ties sooner or later."

I feigned a smile and said "Ha, you can't just restrain me with a piece of plastic. It takes a lot more than that to do the job."

"Yes, that's what I figured." She tilted her head to right. Hmm…. She looked very familiar. Where had I seen her before?? Flipping her auburn (almost red)-colored hair, which had blonde highlights in her, over her shoulder, she went on: "So, when shall we start? I'll need you to follow me."

I laughed. "Come with you? Uh, no."

"Max, you'll want to do what I say very, very carefully," she warned. "You can't always have your way."

"You can't always have yours," I snapped. She stepped toward me menacingly. I stepped closer to her, not to be outdone. She was actually fairly midget sized. Well, _okay, _she was like 5' 4". But I'm like, 5' 9", so to me she was midget sized. No offence to all you little people out there… Uhh…

"Please follow me. It's for the best."

"Yeah, no, I don't think so." I kicked her leg, which made her stumble and fall to her knees. Reaching for the clipboard tucked carefully in her arm, I smacked her nose and felt the foreboding _crack._ She covered her nose as the blood started to flow. I sprinted out of the door, which she had so clumsily forgotten to close behind her. Rule Number One in Do Not Let Max Escape: Don't leave the door or window open. C'mon, you evil scientists, it's really a no-brainer.

Woah. I stopped dead when I saw where the door had taken me. There was a huge auditorium, a couple thousand seat, and hey there, was that the room I was just in, displayed on a huge projector screen? Uhm, yeees, I believe so. So who had been watching me…? This was getting weirder and weirder by the minute. No one was in the Auditorium. Straaaange….

Okay, so like, six seconds after I said that no one was there? Yeah. The place was swarmed with Erasers.

WTH, I thought they were retired.


	9. Chapter 8

Slow motion: Imagine huge, furry, ugly Erasers leaping toward me. Their paws are suspended in mid-air, jaws opened wide, emitting snarls and drool. Imagine me, throwing myself into the air; unfurling my wings, and rising up the ceiling just as Erasers smash into each other below. They look up, growling.

Okay, enough slo-mo.

Strangely enough, imminent death never ceases to amaze me. You could be faced with the possibility of death in almost any circumstance, and yet… you still continued to live on. I mean, really, there are many dangers in our little world. How can people just walk around the streets, knowing those dangers, and act like everything is alright? I guess the human race just believes that nothing bad will ever happen to them. My life has never been carefree. Sure, I've had my teenage girl moments. But even as a child, I was, in some way, restricted. I'm 15 and here I am, once again faced with imminent death.

Looking for an escape route, I fly up as Erasers start leaping up to snap at me. Luckily, these aren't the kind with wings. The winged Erasers did in fact have the ability of flight, but they were pretty much refrigerators with wings. They were no match for the skill and agility of a bird child. Anyways. No escape routes in sight. Only like, two windows, and that couldn't bode well for me. Where the hell was Dylan when I needed him? Yeah, I may find him a nuisance, but he's really helpful when it comes to fighting.

I let out a sharp, high pitched whistle, which caused the enraged Erasers to cringe. That was my signal: if any bird kids were in the area, they better freakin' get their butts over here and help me. Of course, much to my luck, no one came.

That was when things got a lot worse. I found two guards – where did they come from? – emerge from a door to my left. Dressed in black, I saw they were carrying… guns. Haven't they ever heard of a fair fight? I watched as they put their sights on me. I bit my lip as bullets exploded from the first guard's gun. I tucked in my wings lightning fast and dropped like a rock. Before hitting the wave of Erasers, I opened my wings again, inhaling sharply as my shoulders were wrenched from the force. I soared over to the guards, nailing one in the back with a well-aimed kick. He stumbled forward as the second guard let out a shot.

Imminent death.

He was maybe 20 feet away from me. I spun around, my hair whirling, when I heard the shot.

Slow motion.

Wings tucked in tight, my mouth let out a scream as the bullet whizzed past me. Fist fights are okay. Guns are not my thing.

The second shot was when I wasn't as lucky. I stood there, frozen in place, as my leg was hit. Screaming, I fell.

The third bullet sank deep into my left arm.

Blood started to flow.

I lay on the cold floor, watching the blood pool around me.


	10. Chapter 9

_I'm dying_.

Red blossomed from my shirt and spread across me. The guard started approaching me.

_I'm losing too much blood. _

_Think, Max, think. Think!_

The guard reached me, and viciously kicked my spine. Pain flowed through me. I let out an agonized moan as it became hard to breathe. The red head I had smacked not ten minutes before came walking out of the room. "Max, Max, Max," she said. "I should have known you would be such a hassle." I tried to tell her off, but I was becoming increasingly dizzy and lightheaded. "Oh, Max. I know everything there is to know about you. I know that Fang ran away from you. He never really loved you, Max. Really, he was just using you. He _never_ loved you."

"You shey ep igh na," I slurred. I felt my energy draining quickly. I couldn't move. The Erasers had vanished as quickly as they had appeared- illusions? The guard that had shot me towered over me, along with the woman. The guard I had kicked lay still on the floor.

"Say goodbye, Maximum Ride. Your life is over." I inhaled with pain, hoping that this wouldn't be my last breath. Suddenly I saw a flash of brown, and then the guard was down. The woman looked confused for a brief second.

Then I saw him.

Dylan, of all people, had taken down the guard. The woman started running to where her accomplice lay, but he was already dead, neck snapped like a twig. The woman reached into her pocket and withdrew a syringe filled with a clear liquid. Dylan, lightning fast, whipped it out of her hand and sank it into her own arm. She collapsed within seconds. Dylan's eyes, wild with fear and adrenaline, settled on the broken, bloody heap in the center of the room. Me. He sprinted over and cradled my head. The room started to spin. I cried out sharply as he touched my gunshot wounds. His fingers felt the bloody gash on my arm and his lips set in a firm line. Closing his eyes, I watched as he laid his hand over it. I unexpectedly felt what was like fire on my arm. I was burning! My vision got hazy. I screamed in anguish but couldn't move from his grasp. His blue eyes had a certain look of sorrow in them.

"Hush, Max," he whispered. "It's okay." I whimpered as he did the same to my leg wound. Releasing me, he asked, "How do you feel?" I weakly looked down at my arm. What? There was… no… gunshot wound!

"What did you do, Dylan," I mumbled.

He smiled and said "I healed you."


	11. Chapter 10

"Thanks," I whispered, trying my best to smile. He stood up and held out his hand. I struggled to grab it, so he bent down and supported me. Pulling me up, he put his hands on my shoulders to steady me. I looked into his blue eyes. He was beautiful.

"Are you sure you're fine, Max?" I was pulled from my thoughts by his question.

"Um, yeah, yeah, I'm good." He nodded and dropped his hands to his side. We stood there awkwardly for a minute. I felt embarrassed when he stared at me. Sighing, I said, "Do you know where the Flock is?"

"What?"

"I said, do you know where the rest of the Flock is?"

"Oh, right. Yes, actually, I do."

"That's great! Where?"

"Halfway across the country."

"What?"

"They're in Washington."

"DC?"

"State."

"[insert swear word of your choice here]"

"We have to hurry, Max. A storm has been brewing over the route we'd have to take, and we don't want to be drawn off course."

"Okay. Yes, good plan. Do you know how to get out of this hell hole?"

"Yeah. Through the door."

"Oh, right. Okay."

I followed Dylan as he made his way to the door. "You ready for this?" He asked me.

"As ready as I'll ever be. Let's go get our Flock back!"

We both ran and jumped into the air. I watched as his chocolate wings extended from his back, still kind of clumsily. I stretched out my own and beat them strongly. Our wing tips brushed slightly as we soared into the fresh, cloudy blue sky.

Finally, I was going to save my family.


	12. Chapter 11

**Max's Point of View:**

It turns out that we had been somewhere in the middle of the country, probably Kansas, when we set out. Currently we were flying over the wonderful state of Colorado, home of my old home. The breeze was slight and it was a gorgeous day in the early June weather. The sun cast its rays of light across us, and, having the ability of flight, I could see for miles. It was quite nice, actually.

Dylan was coasting beside me. Ever since I had taught him to fly by pushing him off the roof, he had been getting a bit better at flying each day. His wings rose and fell steadily and the wind wrapped itself through his hair. "Hey," I said, "How exactly do you know where the Flock is..?"

He shifted his eyes to me. "Well you know how I can, uh, kind of see things? I mean, not ordinary things. Like, far away things? Well I just kind of… saw them in Washington."

I nodded, partially understanding what he was saying. "Okay… so, do you know exactly where?"

"Nah, sorry."

"So I guess we'll just have to scout for 'em."

"Yeah," he said.

The flight was silent after that. I don't know… something about him makes me kind of feel like I want to be quiet. He has a calming effect on me. Well, that, and he somehow has the ability to stay calm in most situations. Except for that one time he tried to commit suicide. Yeah, I've been wondering why too. Maybe cause I wanted Fang. I wasn't just going to waltz up and ask him about it, though, because it seems like a very touchy subject.

Well, about 4 hours later, we were both getting pretty tired. Dylan spotted what looked like a huge park or something near the Colorado/Utah border. I agreed, so we landed there.

Turns out, the full name of the place was Brown's Park National Wildlife Refuge. Oh, and guess what? It had camping areas! We ended up at this one called "Crook" or something. It had trees. And places to build a fire. And _toilets! _ It was awesome! I started looking for something to eat while Dylan made a fire. Surprisingly, I found some wild blackberries, which I stored in my shirt and in my hands. When I got back, Wonder Boy had in fact started a fire successfully, which was now crackling warmly. I gave Dylan half of the berries and we both happily munched away.

It got dark and cold pretty quickly after that. Dylan and I huddled around the campfire. I was starting to shiver pretty badly when Dylan said, "Here, Max, you can have my coat."

He started slipping it off, but I stopped him. "No, it's okay, I'm fine."

He looked at me quizzically. "Are you sure? You're shaking."

"Really, it's not that bad."

"Okay…" I knew he could tell I was lying through my teeth. I did not want his coat though! I leaned back against the tree as Dylan did the same. Closing my eyes and sighing, I dreamed about being with my Flock, and fell to sleep.

**Dylan's Point of View:**

Man, it was a nice day. Max was flying beside me, her wings so much more graceful than mine. She had, however, had 15 years of practice, unlike me. I was getting better though. Kind of.

"Hey," she said, "How exactly do you know where the Flock is..?"

I turned to look at her. Man, she was the most beautiful girl in the world. "Well you know how I can, uh, kind of see things?" Hmm, how was I going to explain this one? "I mean, not ordinary things. Like, far away things? Well I just kind of… saw them in Washington."

Max nodded, her hair streaming behind her. "Okay… so, do you know exactly where?"

Shoot. "Nah, sorry."

"So I guess we'll just have to scout for 'em." She turned her eyes back to the ground below us.

"Yeah," I said.

We didn't talk much after that. She was wearing this faded brown hoodie she always wore, and her old blue jeans. Her eyes were like the color of warm chocolate, all milky and brown and cute. Her sneakers, scuffed up and nearly falling apart, completed her kick-ass look.

It was probably at least four hours later when I saw that she was getting kind of tired. I was too, to tell the truth. "Max, look over there," I said, pointing. "We could camp there for the night, don't you think?" She smiled and nodded, so we landed there: She, graceful as always, and me, awkward and clumsy.

Max informed me it was a national wildlife refuge or something. She was really excited when she saw that it had toilets. She looked cute when she was really happy. I set to work on making a fire while she scouted for food. When she got back, I had the fire going, and she had some wild blackberries. Her fingers brushed mine as she gave me half of them and we ate them in silence.

Pretty soon, it got darker, and exceptionally colder. We were both huddled around the campfire, drawing in whatever warmth we could. I looked over to her. Her arms were crossed, and I noticed she was shivering. Taking off my coat, I said, "Here, Max, you can have my coat."

She shook her head and replied, "No, it's okay, I'm fine."

I looked into her eyes. I mean, I knew she was stubborn, but this stubborn? She would have to be crazy to decline. But she did, and she wasn't, because she was the smartest, fastest, most amazing girl. "Are you sure? You're shaking."

"Really, it's not that bad." She turned away from me.

"Okay…" I knew she was lying. Maybe she thought it would be a sign of weakness or something. We both leaned against the big tree behind us, our arms touching. I looked up at the dark sky, adorned with twinkling stars, and listened to the fire pop and crackle. Before ten minutes had gone by, Max had fallen asleep. I listened to the steady sound of her breathing. As quietly as I could, I slipped off my jacket once again and carefully draped it over her. She mumbled something and sleepily put her head on my shoulder. I froze, unsure of what to do. She didn't move, and after a while I became used to it. Her hair smelled strangely like limes. I rested my head on the tree and thought about Max.

Before long, I too was asleep.


	13. Chapter 12

I woke up the next morning to find my head resting on Dylan's shoulder. I could feel my face get red as a beet as I scrambled to sit up straight. Luckily, Dylan was fast asleep, snoring lightly. He was kind of cute when he slept. Oh, uhm, er, anyway. I looked down to see that I had Dylan's coat over me. He must have put it there while I was sleeping. I quietly placed it back over him and stood up. Trying to undo the kink in my neck, I surveyed the campground. It looked pretty much the same. After going to the bathroom (in the toilets, eeep!) I set off to find more blackberries for breakfast.

When I returned, carrying bunches of ripe pods of deliciousness, Dylan was awake. He looked up at me sleepily and said, "Goodmorning." I smiled back in response. Taking a seat next to him, I said, "You didn't have to give me coat last night." He winked and said, "Having to and wanting to are two different things." My, he was charming, wouldn't you agree? His hair was all bed-head-ish but his eyes never ceased to sparkle. Anyways.

"So, whaddya got there?" He looked down at the berries.

"Squirrel brains."

"Ah, a delicacy!" I laughed loudly. "Did anyone ever tell you your laugh is kind of odd?"

"Hey!" I poked him in the side. He squirmed uncontrollably. "Did anyone ever tell you that you're deathly ticklish?"

He glared at me. "I'm not ticklish," he said with a straight face.

I gave him the one-eyebrow-up look. "Oh, really, Mr. Dylan?" He nodded. "We'll just have to test your statement then!" I poked him again, and he wriggled away from me. "So are you ticklish?" He shook his head no. I poked him again. He laughed and tried to escape. "Are you ticklish?"

"Yes!" I smiled and stopped tickling him. I handed him some of my "squirrel brains" and we both ate until we were partially satisfied.

About an hour later, we set to the skies.

By noon, we were somewhere in Utah.

I was accustomed to flying for long distances, but Dylan, not so much. We made a couple of pit-stops for food, bathrooms, whatever; I kept the lookout for potential Erasers and other bad guys. We didn't talk much. Just the occasional "Hey, lookit down there" and "I'm kinda tired, can we rest?" By sundown we had made it all the way into the wonderful state of Idaho, home of the famous Idahoan potatoes. Dylan's a major fan of potatoes; I figured this out when he started getting really excited. "Max, look," he said. "We're in Idaho!" It was funny the way he got so excited over things. He was kind of cute, in a way. Not in like, physical attributes (he was pretty hot when it came to those) but in personality traits. He got easily excited, like a little kid at his first fair or something. We chose a random park to spend the night in. No fire tonight- it was too risky, considering we were actually near the human race this time.

So Dylan and I climbed up into a tree, much like the Flock and I had done so many times before. It was strangely comforting, being surrounded by all of the leaves and supporting branches. The moon was faint tonight; I could just barely make out our surrounding. I looked up to find Dylan staring at me. "What?" I asked.

"Oh, um, nothing." He shifted his eyes away from me. Hmm… sometimes I wish I knew what was going on in this guy's head. I mean, c'mon, you gotta give me a chance- he's supposed to be my perfect other half, ya know? And yet he's just acting like we're friends or something. Which, of course, we are. We're friends. Weird ones. Our relationship is like, teasing, and yet kind of awkward, you know? Like the relationship with your first crush- you like him, but you don't want to make him think you're too incredibly weird, so sometimes you let out your real self and others you just stay quiet. Or is that just me? I don't have a crush or anything on him though.

Ugh, why am I even thinking about this? Forget I ever said it. Seriously. _Forget it._


	14. Chapter 13

**Max's Point of View**

So I wake up, right? And of course, it only goes downhill from there. I don't see Dylan anywhere. He was across from me when I fell asleep, but _noooo_, he makes me get up and look for him. And of course, my stomach is growling intensely, because I'm cursed with the metabolism of a bird kid and I have to eat! Jumping down from the tree, very ungracefully, might I add, I let my eyes wander around. No Dylan. Wait, is that him? I see a dark figure leaning up against a tree a couple hundred feet in front of me. "Dylan!" The figure doesn't move.

"Dylan!" Still no movement. That was when I felt someone poke my left arm. I turned, but no one was there. A poke in my right arm. Turning, I find no one there again. "Dylan, stop it!" I hear him try to muffle his laugh behind me. Spinning around, I say, "So not funny!" He apologizes, but continues to giggle foolishly. I punch him in the arm. He feigns injury. Rolling my eyes, I say, "I dunno 'bout you, but I'm starving."

"Yeah, me too." So off we go, to forage for food.

Well, we managed to find a little bakery which had, conveniently, the workers in the back or something. Hopping over the counter, I started chucking rolls of bread and little pastries at Dylan, who caught them swiftly and stuck them in his coat. Grabbing a few more and concealing them in my own coat, we ran away from there like bats from hell. Taking refuge in the nearby so-called forest, which was really only a clump of trees, but hey, any clump of trees is a good one, we ate our fill. I actually think I ate too much, because I started to get really sleepy from the warm, delicious food.

"We should probly be getting going," Dylan said as my eyes started to drift close. I mumbled back in response. "Max, c'mon, don't fall asleep." I forced myself to get up and pinched my arm a couple of times. That kind of helped. I watched as Dylan spread his wings, sprinted, and then dove into the air. I followed suit. It was a kind of windy day, but it was warm, almost like a huge sleeping bag or something. Man, why was I so tired? I kept pinching myself but after a while even that method doesn't work.

My vision started to get a little fuzzy. "Woah, Dylan," I said. He looked to me. "I don't feel very good." I could feel my body get really sluggish all of a sudden. What was happening? "I'm really… dizzy…" The wind beat against my face.

"Max, what's wrong?" I felt my eyes flutter open and closed. "Uhhh," I groaned. "Max?" I felt like he was really far away. "Dylan," I mumbled. My eyes shut. The world started to spin. My wings suddenly gave out, and I felt myself free-falling toward the ground.

"MAX!"

**Dylan's Point of View**

I woke up much earlier than Max. I waited for her to get up for a while. I passed the time by counting blades of grass an' watching the occasional bug skitter around. About an hour after initially waking up, I saw Max hop down from the tree. She looked great. "Dylan!" She called. Her back was turned. I silently crept up on her. She called my name again. I poked her and then dodged to her other side. She fell for it! I did it again. "Dylan, stop it!" I laughed. She turned to me and said, "So not funny!" I said I was sorry, but I couldn't hide my laughter. She punched me in the arm and I pretended to be hurt. She rolled her eyes at me and said, "I don't know 'bout you, but I am starving." I said I was too, so we set off to look for some breakfast.

Max, with all of her smarts, found us a little bakery/humble abode to commit thievery from. She tossed me the goods while I caught them and stuffed them in my jacket. I saw her grab a few more and then a yummy looking one that had been left out on the counter. Afterwards we hid in some trees and enjoyed our little feast.

"We should probably get going," I suggested. Looking at her, I found her eyes closed. "Max, c'mon, don't fall asleep." She finally got up after some more prodding, and we set off on our journey to Washington once again.

In the air, I noticed that Max seemed a little out of it. I didn't say anything though, 'cause I didn't want her to get all moody. All of a sudden she said, "Woah, Dylan." I looked at her worriedly. "I don't feel very good." I could barely understand what she was saying. "I'm really dizzy!"

"Max, what's wrong?" She groaned. "Max?" Something was really wrong here. But what? She mumbled my name. I watched in horror as her eyes closed and her wings gave out. She dropped through the sky like a rock. "MAX!" Tucking in my wings, I shot down after her. "Max!" She was unresponsive. I grabbed her and shot out my wings like a madman. Searing pain went through my shoulders as they caught the air and wrenched us upward.

Thinking I had dislocated a shoulder, I quickly landed as best as I could and laid her on the ground. "Max?" Oh God, what was wrong? What happened? "Max!"


	15. Chapter 14

My eyes opened groggily. What had happened? I was lying on the wet ground, and the sun was going down slowly. My head throbbed. Carefully looking around, I found Dylan. He was lying on the ground next to me, his eyes closed, and his breathing steady. What were we doing here? I grunted as I tried to stand. Well, that didn't work very well. I fell down hard, which awoke Dylan. He looked at me, and I swear he looked relieved. That was when I noticed I was wearing his coat. He gently lifted me up and put me on the ground again. Staring at me, he asked, "Max, how are you?"

I looked at him, confused. "Uh, good? Why wouldn't I be?"

"Don't you remember?"

"Remember what?"

"Max, you blacked out while flying."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I think you were drugged."

My mind raced. "But… how?"

He shrugged. "I don't know..."

"Well, I'm fine. Just help me up, will you?"

He stood and took my hands. We both stood there for a moment, until he put his hands on my shoulders. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Nodding, I croaked out "Yeah." He turned away and looked toward the sky. He seemed different… almost worried, I guess. I passed it off as nothing though. Don't need to be worrying myself, now, do I? Anyway, I suggested that we get in some flying time because after all, I am a night creature. The dark offers more hiding places, you know? The night air was getting chilly, so I gladly kept Dylan's coat on. Hey, he insisted. So we jumped up, and away we went.

Right before the sun was about to peek over the horizon and shed its light on us weary bird kids, we made camp about half a mile outside of a little town called Emblem. The population sign read 10. Well, today it was going to be a population of 12.


	16. Chapter 15

**Fang**

Fang was sitting in a diner in Oregon, half enjoying the view and half letting his mind wander about. He wasn't thinking about things such as the weather, or whether or not he wanted another glass of soda. He wasn't thinking about the fact that he would get wet if he went into the rain. He wasn't thinking about how much his meal cost, or if the stocks were down, or whether America was going to engage in war with a country. He also wasn't thinking about the girl who had walked into the little diner and sat down at the counter.

Fang was thinking about decisions. He was thinking about the decision that he had made not too long ago that had affected people in many ways. He was thinking about how those people felt, and whether or not he made the right choice.

Fang was thinking about life.

Fang was thinking about himself and, more importantly, about someone he had left. Fang was thinking about the girl he had left. He had left the only girl who made him feel comfortable. The girl was the only one who could look into his eyes and see his soul. She knew exactly what he was thinking and exactly how to give him what he needed. That girl knew him inside and out- and what did he do? He left. He left his family and more importantly his friends. He left the only group he actually fit in with, the only people who understood him. He left them alone, thinking that it was the best thing he could do.

But was it? This question kept haunting him as he gazed out the window. Did he do what was best for the girl or best for him? Was there something else that he could have done? An alternate solution, one with more reasoning and thought carefully placed in it and tucked away so that everyone won? Could he have done something differently? He knew that he really shouldn't torture himself like this.

He thought about how the girl was holding up. Did she care that he had gone? Was she affected at all? She hadn't tried to find him… but then again, he was but a ghost, leaving no trail. Did she hate him?

Fang wasn't much for outward mushy feelings, but no one really knew how he felt on the inside. The girl had seen but a mere wave from the ocean of his heart. He had never told anyone, never let it out of lock and chain, but he knew that he loved her. He knew that his love wasn't just puppy love, or the tiny kind where you always have little flitting butterflies, or the jealous kind where it wasn't really a relationship at all. Fang knew that what he felt for that girl was deeper and more intimate than he had ever imagined. He never really thought about it much when she was around, but without her, he had so much time to contemplate. He had more time to feel like a mistake, an outcast, someone who hurts the ones he loves. But were all the accusations true? Was he a mistake? Did he make a mistake? Did he hurt the one person who had made him feel all right with the world so deeply that she was asking herself questions that had never before surfaced? Was she questioning herself, her judgement? Did she hate him, and never want to see him again?

Brushing his hair out of his face, Fang noticed with a solemn face the girl sitting at the counter. Her back was to him, but he noticed her long legs and the old sweatshirt draped over her shoulders that looked well loved. He noticed her long, brown hair, dyed blonde in some parts. He noticed the way she sat there with confidence, the same confidence that he once saw in the girl he loved. The waitress brought the girl fresh chocolate chip cookies, and for a second Fang allowed himself to think if it could really be true. Could it? Was she here? Did she not notice him? Rising from his booth, he slowly walked over to the girl. He tapped her shoulder, and she turned her head in slow motion. His heart raced with anticipation. When he saw her face, he looked away. It wasn't her. "Sorry," he mumbled. "I thought you were someone else."

Fang, his heart heavier than it quite possibly ever was, walked out into the rain. It hit his leather jacket with pounding drops, splashing up into his face. He extended his wings, not caring if people saw him.

Leaping up, he became a swirl of mist in the stormy sky.

Once again, Fang was gone.


	17. Chapter 16

When I woke up, my watch read 8 AM. I guess a solid 4 hours would have to do for now. Dylan was snoring beside me, so I kicked him and quietly told him to get up. The sun was high in the sky by now, and man was my stomach growling! All seemed peaceful in our little campsite, until I looked more closely at what I thought to be just one of our footprints. It had diamond patterns all over it, and I knew that mine were squiggles. I ran over to check out Dylan's, and his were little circles.

Someone had been in our campsite.

Quick as lightning I looked in the surrounding brush and trees for enemies. I saw nothing that looked too suspicious, but I vowed to keep an eye out for anything (or anyone) that seemed a little odd today.

By the time Dylan got up, I was stretching my wings out in the sun. My feathers had gotten a little damp last night from the not-too-comfortable soggy ground I had slept on. I would've slept in a tree, but none of the branches would have supported my weight. As my feathers dried (slowly, might I add) Dylan tromped into the forest to do something.

Finally alone, I thought about my family. Were they alright? Was I wasting time, here with Dylan, when I could be searching for them? Could Dylan possibly be slowing me down? These questions and many more floated around my head.

_Max._

"What?" I said, answering Dylan.

_Max._

"What?"

_Max!_

"Oh my God, _what?_" I turned around to shoot an angry glare at Dylan, but he wasn't there! Confused, I turned back around.

_Max, where are you?_

_Um, hello? _I thought.

_Max, it's Angel!_

My heart raced as I recognized my baby's voice. _Oh God! Angel!_

_Max, you've gotta help us! They're doing tests, experimenting; I haven't seen anyone for days!_

_Where are the others? Are you alright? Where are you? _ How was she communicating with me from so far away? _Angel, how are we talking?_

_I- I don't know! Max, please! I can feel that something bad is going to happen! _Her little voice cried out in my brain, begging for help. I had to help!

_Where are you, Ange? Where can Dylan and I find you?_

_Oh Max! Don't trust Dylan! He's not who you think he is._

_What do you mean? __**Where are you?**_

_We're in Seattle. They have us locked up- I haven't seen daylight since they took us. Please Max, come save us! _

_I'm coming! I'm coming!_

I looked around for Dylan. Was what Angel said, about not trusting Dylan, something I should actually do? I mean, he'd healed me, and I hadn't woken up to him sharpening a shank or anything… But then again, was Angel ever wrong? I tried to communicate back with Angel, but I didn't get a reply. My heart filled with worry and I got that familiar rush of fear mixed with dread and adrenaline.

At that moment, I made a snap decision: trust no one but myself. I couldn't possibly know what Dylan was planning, or what they were doing to my family- all I knew is that you did **not** want to mess with me. I took a running start and then launched myself into the air. My wings took me up and up into the blue sky, but this time, I wasn't part of a fairytale or a perfect story. I was part of a life or death situation where I had trust issues and abandonment issues and frankly all the freaking issues ever made. I was going to find my family.

When I was about 200 feet up, I saw Dylan race into the clearing. When he didn't see me on ground level, he looked up. I was just a speck in the sky, but he knew that it was me. "Max!" he yelled. "MAX! NO!"

I didn't allow myself to rethink. I was already too far gone.


	18. Chapter 18

**Underground Seattle  
Headquarters**

Max II stared blankly at the large screen in the front of the room. The screen showed a picture of a room with four patients. Each was strapped down securely with restraints. None of them moved- all eyes were closed. Their chests rose and fell in harmony.

"Miss, what are you going to do?" Max II turned and settled her dark gaze on Calvin Rhodes, the boss of Flock Tracking and Termination Corps. FTTC, organized by Max II, was made to end the Flock; or, at least, her worst enemy, the original Max.

"I am going to do whatever I have to, Mr. Rhodes," Max II said between clenched teeth. "Max is getting closer and closer to where she needs to be to rescue her precious Flock. She is walking straight into my trap. You see, when I take away what she loves the most, she has to come after it, does she not?"

"Yes, yes… uh, do you still want the production lines going at full force?" Calvin was the overseer of the production of the clones. Max II had ordered clone after clone to be replicated from none other than the original Flock. Sometimes there were deadly mistakes- clones without heads or vital organs. Those clones, labeled "OUTCAST" on their foreheads, were sent to die in the furnace. The other, more perfect clones were sent to battle. After all, some were weaker than others. The ones who died or were fatally injured were also sent to the furnace. Only the best were saved.

"Well, Mr. Rhodes, what do you think?" Bitterness spewed from her mouth as she talked with a grim face. "We will win, and it will be remembered."

"Oh, oh, yes, okay, right." Calvin Rhodes was highly afraid of Max II. He had read the newspapers about the winged children and their efforts long before he was recruited by his aunt Brigid. He had followed their stories and even, he believed, saw them once. Max II was unlike the original Flock. She was more evil, and though they looked exactly the same, Calvin knew there was a difference.

"You see, Mr. Rhodes," said Max II, "The clones will be of great advantage. I have a plan, and it is very good. Come." Max II led Calvin into the production room, where gigantic machines lay making clones. They all looked exactly like the originals. The ones who whad survived battle were marching in symmetrical formations at the end of the large room. "They are not able to think for themselves. They are programmed to fight, and win. Max will enter a large, blank room, and she will not know which is her actual beloved Flock member. She will be forced to kill, and she will, ultimately, kill the ones she loves dearest."

"I never doubted you, Miss. Thank-you."

"Oh, Calvin," she said. "I am not done with you. You didn't think I would tell you my plan without asking for a price, now, did you?"

"Oh, Miss, w-wh-what do you m-mean?"

"The price is your life."

With those last words, Max II snapped Calvin Rhodes' neck. He landed on the cold cement floor with a thud. "No one can know my plan, dear Mr. Rhodes. Thank-you for listening though." She let out a laugh filled with sickening happiness.

"No one can know until the planned date. Maid!"


	19. Chapter 19

**Hey guys! If you didn't notice, there is no chapter 17. It's because every time I would go to add a chapter, its label would be a chapter above (like 17 instead of 16) cause of the disclaimer I wrote at the beginning of the story. It got kinda annoying remembering to change it after a while, so don't freak out about it or anything. Does that even make sense at all? Ah, I don't know. Just don't worry about it! **

**Sorry I didn't write for forever! I've been writing like crazy though for the past two days, creating more and more chapters. If you have any questions or comments or even ideas about what could happen, feel free to leave them in a review! I make sure to read those cause they make me feel loved (: If you have some constructive criticism, put that in there too! I love reading what you guys think of my story. **

**Anyways, thanks for reading, and enjoy this chapter!**

**Max's Point of View**

Okay… where was I exactly? It was around 3 when I realized that I really didn't have a plan after I had flown off into the wild blue yonder earlier today.

I mean, what was I doing? I knew my family was somewhere in Seattle. At least Angel had told me that much. Judging from the signs, I was in Idaho right now. That's only two states away from Washington! I was flying as fast as I could go to make up for the time I had lost with Dylan. He had been holding me back- Angel was right. All o f it made sense now. It was still a bit odd how she could communicate with me from such a long distance, but there was always the possibility that she had gained another power.

I kept thinking about Fang. With Dylan not by my side anymore, I had a lot more time to think about what happened. Was I mad? Would I be mad if I saw him again? Could I wait twenty years? I hadn't seen him in such a long time. I hadn't thought about him in a long time. Was I finally forgetting about it?

No, I couldn't. I still remembered. The pain still lingered as I thought about him. I guess I blame myself for what happened. Was I really that good of a leader? Did I not pay attention to things that I normally would have when he wasn't there? Did he make the right decision..?

I should've tried to follow him. I shouldn't have let him go! It was all my fault.

**Dylan's Point of View**

Where was Max? I had tried to follow her, but she had that ability to fly super fast, so it was really no use. What did I do to make her not trust me like that? I hadn't even said anything to her… Now it was four o'clock in the afternoon, and I was trying to find my way to Washington. It was really not working though, considering she was the one who was good with directions and flying patterns and schedules and all that. I needed her!

**Flock Tracking & Termination Corps**

"The clones are almost ready," stated Max II, addressing the employees who listened diligently. "We have a thousand of each member, and two thousand of the one she loves the most, Fang. Dr. Folber, what is the status of the clones' battle ability?"

"All of them are prepared for battle, Miss. Everyone is on standby."

Max II smiled. "Good… good… and what about the Flock, Dr. Werr?"

"All is well, Miss. All of the children are still sedated and unconscious. None of them are awake yet. I am awaiting your command to initiate the control serum application, which will make them unable to control their bodies. They will be controlled by the people you selected in the final end of the plan."

"Yes, yes, very good. Thank you. Ah, yes, and Dr. Evans? How did the outreach to Max go?"

"Perfectly, Miss. She thought it was the original child, Angel, who was sending the message. She has broken away from Dylan and- oh, one moment please." Dr. Evans pressed his finger to the small device nestled in his ear. "Miss, we have a visual. Max has just entered Oregon. She is flying at top speed, and should probably be here sometime between three and six AM tomorrow."

"Perfect… Thank you, Dr. Evans. Alright, back to work. We have a busy day of preparations ahead of us!"

As the employees dispersed, Max II felt excited, filled with anticipation. "She won't know what hit her," she murmured to herself. "This is what I've been waiting for…"


	20. Chapter 20

**Fang's Point of View**

The diner in Oregon smelled like how I imagined a grandma's house to smell. Homemade food, fresh cookies, and gentle lighting. Then again, I'd never had an actual grandma, but I could imagine, couldn't I? My watch read 7:50 PM when I glanced to it from the newspaper I was reading.

**Max's Point of View**

Flying gets me high. Haha, get it? Okay, nevermind.

I was now somewhere in Oregon, and it was about 8 o'clock. The sun was starting to slowly go down, so I decided to take a little pit stop and take a power nap. Of course, I was starving, so I also decided to get something to eat.

Walking into town, having landed in the nearby forest, I saw a pleasant looking little diner. The neon sign said "Ma's Place," which seemed homey enough, don't you think? Man was I hungry! Rain started to fall lightly as I stepped inside and was met by the sweet smell of homemade goodness. Chicken, fries, steak, and all sorts of wondrous goodies were being served.

"Hey hun, just a table for one?" A motherly looking lady, about, say, 40? came up and started talking to me.

"Oh, um, yes please," I replied. She nodded and motioned for me to follow her.

She sat me down at the counter and handed me a menu. "Can I get you anything to drink?" She asked sweetly.

"I'll take some lemonade, please," I said. She smiled and walked off. Looking outside, I noticed the rain drops had grown bigger and were now pooling in puddles outside. _Well, that should be fun to fly in, _I thought. I opened my menu and saw a delicious looking picture of chicken tenders. It was served with fries; my favorite! The lady came back with my lemonade, and upon saying thanks she asked me if I was ready to order. "I'll take two orders of chicken tenders," I stated, my stomach starting to growl. "Oh, and could I have some chocolate chip cookies too?"

"Sure thing, sweet thing," she said. Once again she walked off and I was left with myself and my thoughts. There wasn't that much further to fly, and then I'd just have to find what evil lair they were holding everyone in. I'm sure I'd have to defend myself against some sort of evil creation the Scientists had made this time. Pulling up my old sweatshirt that had started to slip off my shoulders, I thought how life could be different if Fang were still here. Would he have been able to stop them from taking my family?

My shoes, I noticed, were scuffed up and muddy. My hair must have been a mess, it being so freaking long and all. Man, _I _was a mess! _C'mon, food, cook faster, _I thought. _I'm hungry!_

**Fang's Point of View**

I looked up to see Max sitting at the counter.

My heart flipped over as I looked again at the girl again.

Was it really her? Or was I just hallucinating again, just like last time? This was a different diner, and it was _Oregon,_ for that matter. Why was she here? I shook my newspaper and tried to hide myself behind it. She couldn't see me. Not now.


	21. Chapter 21

**Max's Point of View**

The nice looking lady finally brought me my chicken, and I dug in. The yummy fries were so good! I ate it all quickly, but was happy to recognize that full feeling I hadn't felt in a while. Once I was done, she brought me my cookies. They were still gooey; deliciousness!

**Fang's Point of View**

My thoughts were near to confirmed when the waitress brought her a plate of steaming chocolate chip cookies. As she turned to look at the old clock hanging on the wall, I saw her chocolate brown eyes and just knew. The way her hair fell onto her shoulders was so familiar- I remember running my fingers through it. It was so long now. She brushed it away out of her eyes and went back to her cookies.

Should I say something? Should I just stay in the background?

**Max's Point of View**

When I was done, I paid the lady and got up to go. That was when I noticed a boy sitting in a booth not too far from me. He was wearing a leather jacket, but I couldn't see his face. His worn out shoes looked so familiar…

Then he looked up. My eyes widened when I saw his familiar eyes. Fang.

**Fang's Point of View**

I knew the moment I heard a gasp that she had seen me. Then the waitress brought her change, and she momentarily turned away. I willed myself to melt into the background, throwing the newspaper under the seat.

**Max's Point of View**

When I turned back around, no one was there. Had it really been him? Or was I going crazy? My heart fell sharply when I realized that I must have imagined it. Sighing, I sat down on the seat opposite where I thought he had been. I placed my head in my hands and shut my eyes tight, wishing that he hadn't left. Why did he have to leave?

**Fang's Point of View**

She sat down right in front of me. To her, I was invisible, but I could see everything that she was doing. Her head in her hands, I watched painfully as a tear silently slid down her cheek. Did I cause this? I was such a horrible person… Another tear splashed onto the table as she opened her eyes. She was just looking at the seat, but it felt like she was looking right at me. Looking down, she whispered, "Why did you have to go?" Her forehead wrinkled into a frown as she tried to wipe away the tear that had started to escape. "Why did you leave me?" I could hear my heart breaking when I heard the pain in her voice. I had done this to her, my Max. "I thought you loved me…" I wanted so badly to say, "I _do _love you," but I didn't know if I should. I knew at that moment that my decision was not the best for her. She had taken the toll; I heard the fatigue and worry in her voice. "And now," she went on, "I lost everyone, and I don't have anyone anymore."

Wait. What did she mean? She lost everyone? I then noticed that none of the other Flock members had been sitting around her. Where was Dylan? Where was _everyone?_

She sniffled and kept going. "I mean, what am I supposed to do? They took them, and I couldn't trust Dylan, and I don't even know where I'm going!" Her voice rose to a higher level as she said this. "I've been trying to find them, but, but, it's just so hard to be all alone…" Another tear fell.

_Oh Max, _I thought. _What did I do to you?_

**Max's Point of View**

Pulling myself together, I got up and wiped away any stray tears that had escaped. It was a momentary sign of weakness, okay? I desperately needed a nap.

Walking outside, I went around back and found a nice little overhang that would shelter me from the rain. Pulling up my hood, I closed my eyes once again and let myself fall into a deep sleep…


	22. Chapter 22

**Fang's Point of View**

I decided to follow Max out the door. I left my money on the table and silently watched as Max settled down at the back of the restaurant. Her hair a mess and her long legs curled up underneath her, I couldn't help but have a strong urge to go and hold her. I waited ten minutes or so just to be safe, and then sat down next to her on the cold ground. She fidgeted and opened her eyes groggily.

"Fang..?" She whispered. I shushed her and told her to go back to sleep. She moved sleepily closer to me, and I picked her up slowly and put her in my lap. Her head resting on my shoulder, her eyes closed. My arms around her, I smelled her hair (it smelled like strawberries). I rested my head on hers and drifted off into a light sleep.

About an hour later, I woke up to find my arms asleep. Max hadn't moved, but I knew that I had to go before she woke up. Hopefully she wouldn't remember a thing. Silently I placed her back on the ground and rose. Watching her, I noticed she was shivering. I took off my leather jacket and draped it over her, wishing that I knew that she was going to be alright. For the last time in what would be forever, I bent down and kissed her forehead. Max was the strongest girl I knew, and the only one I would ever love.

Now shivering myself, I stretched out my wings in the dim fluorescent light. The rain had fallen to a slight drizzle, and I knew that she would be waking soon.

Whispering a goodbye, I threw myself into the air and disappeared into the black sky.

Looking down, I saw that Max had woken up.

**Max's Point of View**

I woke up, and I instantly knew that I hadn't been dreaming. His jacket was draped over me.

I shot my gaze upward and saw a tiny black dot in the already dark sky. "Fang!" I screamed. "Fang! Come back!" The drowsiness of sleep had left me as I jumped up, slipping on his jacket. I leapt up and willed my wings to take me faster than I had ever gone.

I knew I hadn't imagined him in the diner!

My hair was whipped around me from the furious wind, but I couldn't give up. I was gaining distance, getting closer and closer to the black dot. It got bigger and bigger until I could make out a silhouette of wings. We were way higher than we usually flew. "Fang!" I yelled again. "Fang!" Adrenaline pumped through me and my wings surged. Turning to warp speed, I flew faster and faster. Fang wouldn't slow down, and I could tell that he was flying as fast as he could. "Fang!" I yelled. By the time I could make out his faded shoes and the fact that he had turned around toward me, I was too close to slow down.

I smacked into Fang with a loud crunch that sent us both spiraling downward. "Max!" He yelled. I yelled back to him, overjoyed to see him. He held out his arm and I grabbed it, pulling us closer. My body once again smacked into his, but this time I wrapped my arms around him. He pulled in his wings as I pulled in mine and I hugged him as we fell. I looked into his deep eyes and curved my lips into a smile. "I missed you!" I screamed. He smiled and mouthed "I missed you too." "We should stop falling!" I yelled to him. I extended my wings and felt them wrench my shoulders upward. "Meet you on the ground!" I said.

When we had both landed, I threw myself onto him. Burying my face in his shoulder, I said, "I missed you so much. Oh, I missed you." His hand stroked my hair as he nodded. When I looked up, my lips found his almost instantly. We kissed in perfect harmony as the rain started to fall in big drops around us. Our clothes nearly soaked, he held me in his arms.

"I love you, Max," he whispered in my ear. "I love you."


	23. Chapter 23

From that moment on I was pretty much just a bubble of happiness that floated around dreamily. I mean, who wouldn't be, after being reunited with their one true love? Fang was flying beside me, and every five seconds or so I would look over just to make sure that he was still there. We still hadn't had the why-the-heck-did-you-leave-me-I-missed-you talk, but I was planning on saving that for later… I had filled him in on the Flock's status about an hour ago, and he insisted we leave right away. Flying above the clouds, we weren't rained on, but it was still pretty chilly.

His dark hair was a bit longer, and he still wore that simple expression that said "What?" But I knew that beneath that there was the Fang that I had missed. His leather jacket looked exactly the same, and he smelled the same way I remembered. His jeans were smudged with dirt, but then again, so were mine. When he caught me looking at him, he turned his mouth up in the famous half-smile that just melted my heart. I smiled and looked back to where we were headed.

_Max!_ I heard in my head.

_Angel! Where are you? Are you alright?_

_Max, you've gotta hurry! Where are you?_

_We're in Washington! We're not to Seattle yet! _

_Please, Max, hurry! You have to climb through a manhole to get to where they're holding us. Please! Hurry!_

_I'm coming Angel! I'm coming!_

"Um, Max?" Fang said.

"Fang! I just got another message from Angel!"

"What? How? Is she alright?"

"She said to hurry," I replied. "We have to go down a manhole into underground Seattle, and then we'll find her." He nodded and started flying faster. Catching up to him, I felt that he was worrying as much as I was over our family. He may not have been showing it, but I'd always known that he worried about them, and if they would be okay. Hey, I was worried!

Then my mind crossed to Dylan. Was I right to leave him all alone? If I hadn't, I may have never found Fang… but I couldn't help but think if he was alright. I mean, when had Angel been wrong? But still…

Pushing those thoughts aside, I flew on.

_**TWO HOURS LATER**_

"Max," Fang said. "We should think about landing. We aren't that far from Seattle, and we can't risk people seeing us, even at 1 in the morning." I nodded, and we scoped out a cluster of trees that looked pretty sheltered. Once we were on the ground again, Fang said that he was going to go get some food.

"I'm coming," I stated.

"No, you're not," he said back.

Protesting, I said, "You're not leaving me again. I can't risk it, okay?"

He looked at me, and I saw something in him break. I must have looked like a crazy person, but I had reason to, okay? "You're staying here, Max. I won't be gone for long. I'm coming back."

"How do I know you will?" I replied, looking at him solemnly. "How do I know you aren't going to leave again?"

Looking down, he said quietly, "I really messed you up, didn't I?" He continued talking, even after I turned away to hide my face. "I'm sorry… I'm so sorry… I- I didn't- I didn't mean to-" His voice stopped and we stood there in silence. All I could think about was how open Fang had become in the time that we'd been apart. "Max, I-"

I turned back around to face him. Looking up into his dark eyes, I said hoarsely, "Why did you leave? What could have possibly made you think that leaving was for the best?"

"Ma-"

"I mean, seriously, Fang!" My voice started rising. "How do you think it made me feel? I felt like I wasn't good enough for anyone! If the one person who was supposed to love you didn't want to be around you anymore, how would you feel?"

"Max…"

"And honestly! How was I supposed to lead our family without my right hand guy? Did you ever think about that? They were taken away from me, and all I had was Dylan! Dylan, for God's sake! He was the one who was in love with me, remember?"

"Max."

"You left me alone with him! How was I going to cope with _Dylan_ next to me all the time? Some days I even thought he was you, just standing there in the dark! And I would get all happy and excited because finally, you had come back, but it was just the guy who was supposed to be your replacement. And then you know what would happen? My heart would break all over again. Every day I felt like I wasn't good enough for anyone. _Every day. _Sure, I just plastered on a fake smile, because who wants to worry the Flock, right? Things weren't the same!"

"Max…"

"And that letter! God, that letter! I hated reading that. You know what I did, after reading it aloud with the whole Flock around me? I _cried. _I cried! I cried because for the first time in my life, I knew that you were actually gone. You were gone. And seeing you at the diner, that was just pure accident, wasn't it? You thought for _sure_ that I'd be living at our house, just happy as can be. Right? You had never thought in a million years that your absence would have put the Flock in danger, and that I would have to go fly across the country to save them. Well you know what? It did. It did! The Flock is gone. How am I going to fix this? God, how am I going to do anything? Dammit, Fang! Everything is wr-"

"Max!"

"_What?_" I screeched back.

"Stop it! Just stop it!" Seeing him yell like that, nonetheless at me, caused me to lose it. I collapsed to the ground, tears starting to pour. I buried my face in my hands and sat there crying in silence. I could hear him breathing, but other than that there was no way to know that he was still there. After a couple more seconds had passed, I felt him sit down behind me. I felt his strong arms wrap around my waist, and I felt him pull me closer to him. When I was as close as possible to him, his arms held me tight, and he hugged me. I laid my head back on his chest and I could feel his warm breath on my hair.

"Max," he said, whispering into my ear. "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. I never meant to hurt you. What I did wasn't the best thing, and I know that now. We're going to find the Flock, okay? They'll be fine. We're almost to Seattle. You're the best thing that has ever happened to me. I'm so sorry I left. I don't want you to cry anymore, okay? I know I was wrong. I'm sorry for hurting you. Please, Max, please forgive me. Please."

I turned around and looked him straight in the eye. He wiped away the tear that had fallen down my cheek. "Do you love me?" I asked quietly, almost afraid of the answer. He nodded, so I continued. "Do you promise to never leave me again?" He nodded. I smiled shyly, saying, "Good, cause I would've forgiven you regardless… I love you, Fang."

"I love you more than you'll ever know, Maximum Ride," he answered. Before I could say anything back, he kissed me, gently at first but growing more passionate with every passing second. He leaned back into the grass as we kissed, me on top of him. After a couple more minutes had passed, Fang said again, "I should go get some food, okay?"

This time I didn't protest. He stood up, but then leaned back down to kiss my forehead. "I'm coming back, Max. I promise, I'm coming back."

I curled up in the grass with that warm, fuzzy feeling all over me. I closed my eyes, and not much later after that, fell into a light sleep.


	24. Chapter 24

I woke with a start, caused by a loud snap behind me. Bolting up, I saw a dark, looming figure towering above me. "Don't be afraid, Max," the figure said, but I still didn't let down my guard.

"What are you doing here?" I asked. "Don't you have somewhere else to be?"

I got a bad feeling when he said back "You can't run from me forever… Remember, I'm your _real _soul mate."

Dylan emerged from the shadows, looking more perfect than he ever had. Was that even possible? I took a step back, saying, "You need to leave. Now."

A grin crept onto his face. "I'm not leaving without you, Max. I love you."

"You can't just come into my life and expect me to fall for you. I'm already taken."

He waltzed up to me, blonde hair flowing perfectly. His sculpted arm was poised like a serpent ready to strike. "Fang left you…"

"He thought it was the best thing to do." We were literally inches from each other, our bodies almost touching. His fingers found my cheek and caressed it softly. "Please, Dylan," I said. "Please don't do this..."

"Do what?" He asked playfully. "I know you love me, deep down in that heart of yours."

"You're wrong," I whispered. "I love Fang. I will never love you." I pushed his hand away from me. He put it back, his finger tracing my bottom lip. "Dylan, don't." I looked into those eyes of his and for a moment imagined it was Fang. My eyes closed, wishing he would come back. When I opened them, Dylan's nose was touching mine. "Get away from me," I said as I stepped back. He stepped forward and before I knew it, his lips were touching mine. Out of instinct I shoved him away. "Don't!"

"Don't deny your love for me, Max," he said quietly. "I know you've wanted me to do that for a while."

"You know nothing," I said icily. He stepped toward me again, grabbing my arm. I tried to pull away but his grip just got stronger the more I tried. "Get the hell off me."

"Max, you don't understand. I only want what's best for you. Fang isn't that."

"What makes you think you are..?"

"Please, Max, just hear me out!"

"Leave, Dylan. I will _never _love you." Before I could react he stepped forward and kissed me again. I slapped him as hard as physically possible, leaving a bright red mark on his otherwise creamy skin. "Touch me again, I dare you."

"Max, I…"

"Max, I went to the nearest gas station and got us some hotdo-" Fang appeared on the outskirts of the trees carrying the food. "What's going on here?" That's when I knew that he saw Dylan and I standing less than a foot apart, his hand still on my arm. "Max, what is going _on_?" Dylan's face had a confused look on it, as though he was saying, _"Wait, where'd Fang come from?" _

"Fang, I swear it's not what it looks like."

"Do you know what it looks like?"

"I swear, Fang. Nothing's going on between us. Nothing ever will." I pulled my arm away from Dylan's and took my place beside my soul mate. "Fang, he's fine. I'm fine. We're all fine, okay?" I could see the anger burning ferociously in his midnight eyes. "He was just about to leave. Weren't you, Dylan?"

"Actually, Fang, Max was just telling me how lonely she was. She even kissed me twice," Dylan said, a malicious smile on display.

"That's a lie. He kissed me."

"You two kissed."

"Fang…"

"Go to hell!"

His wings brushed my side as he took flight into the early morning.


	25. Chapter 25

With a cruel tone I said, "You just have to ruin everything, don't you, Dylan?"

"Now, now, Max," he said. "Are you talking about Fang, the one who left you in the first place? He doesn't really love you."

"You. Wanna. Bet?" Contempt pouring out of me, I said, "Leave, Dylan. I'll never love you."

"You will!" He yelled. As the final straw snapped, he lunged at me, knocking me to the ground. "You will _always _love me!"

I shoved him off, yelling back, "Don't you _ever_ touch me again!" My left fist connected with his jaw, bringing about a loud crunch. "Get out!"

"No!" He screamed. He lunged at me again, but this time I was prepared. Roundhouse kick already in motion, his attempts to pin me down were squished like a bug. That is, until he suddenly surged with strength, leaping up as if I hadn't injured him at all. "No!" He threw punches left and right, connecting with my skin more often than not. It was like he was suddenly filled with adrenaline, even steroids. His veins began to pop out, and I could see him lose control. Trying as hard as I could, I got in a couple good punches before I was once again shoved to the ground. His face was twisted into a horrific expression, a mix of hatred and joy. It was like he was having fun beating me senseless.

"Stop it!" I yelled. "Get your filthy hands _off_ of me!" I tried as best as I could to stand again but deemed it worthless; his fists kept me down. With sudden rage I yelled as loud as possible, halting his attacks for a mere second. In that brief moment of relent, I kicked him with all of my might and was rewarded with a cry of pain. I watched him stumble backward as I leapt up. "You're pathetic!" I screeched as I punched his jaw. Blood poured from both our noses. "You don't know anything about Fang!" My kicks and punches became more violent as anger overtook me. Bruises had begun to appear over my arms and face and blood was oozing from various cuts; they hurt. "If you _ever_ touch me again, I swear to God I will kill you!" He ceased to fight back, standing there with an odd expression on his face. I withheld my fists.

"Max?"

"Don't talk to me. Leave."

"What just happened?"

"Leave. Now."

"No, Max, I'm serious, wh-"

"_Leave! _And don't you _dare_ come back!" He started toward me but I shoved him away. "LEAVE!" He stood there blankly. How could he not remember that he had just beaten the living daylight out of me, and then me him?

"But…"

"Now."

"Max, I- I don't know what just happened, I swea-" Before he could even finish his sentence, Dylan passed out cold and hit the ground loudly.

With a sigh I slunk down into the grass, whispering, "Fang, come back…"


	26. Chapter 26

A silvery voice echoed through the eerie silence. "Max..? What the…" My eyes were closed, my body sunk into the grass, but I know that when he looked at me his eyes grew wide. I opened mine and watched as he searched over my body, finding bloody wounds instead of vanilla skin. He knelt beside me and his fingers flew up to my cheek, which was bleeding badly. I winced as they grazed the wound. His hand trailed to my arm (which hurt the worst) where bruises waited. "Who?" His voice rang out again, clearer than ever. "Who. Did. This." I tried to tell him that Dylan did, but all I choked out was a tear; my body hurt literally everywhere.

"I never should have left you," I heard him say faintly. "This is my entire fault. Again." I opened my mouth to tell him that he was wrong but nothing came out. "Can you stand?" I tried to shake my head no, but it just caused me to hurt myself more. "This is gonna hurt, but I'll be as gentle as I can," Fang said, slowly lifting me. I flinched as he touched my arm again. "I think your arm's broken." Holding me firmly, he said, "I know you're gonna hate what I about to say, but we have to, alright? You need to go to a doctor."

My head fell against his chest. Once more I attempted to speak, but it was also in vain. _Why can't I speak?_ I thought. _Am I in shock, or is this permanent?_ Terror washed over me. If I couldn't speak, I could never tell the Flock that I loved them again, or sing in the shower, or talk to my mom! _Oh God, oh God, please, no…_

"Max?" I looked up at him. "Why aren't you talking to me? Am I really that horrible of a person?" Instead of trying to talk, I just mouthed the word "no". "Oh God." I saw the realization come over him that maybe I physically couldn't speak, whether temporary or permanent. "We're going to the hospital, okay? Don't fall asleep." Don't fall asleep? Why? "You could die, Max." Oh. That's why. Was it really that bad? My arm was broken, but- Then I remembered that I actually had lost a lot of blood. How long had my nose been gushing? I looked at my arm and saw red oozing out of it. Great. It was an open break. So… yeah. Death.


End file.
